XLVI EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



It will be noticed that the cost of the work per square mile varies 

 from 71 cents in the Covington area, Georgia, to $5.02 for the work in 

 Porto Rico. The average cost has been $1.83 per square mile, as 

 against $2 per square mile during the preceding fiscal 3'ear, The area 

 covered is over two and one-half times as large, and the work has cost 

 IT cents per square mile less than last year. The variation in the cost 

 per square mile is due in part to the character of the country, the con- 

 dition of the roads and of the weather, the complexit}" of the soils, 

 the presence and character of alkali in the Western areas, and the 

 accuracy of the base maps used. The average cost to the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture of the w^ork complete, including supplies and 

 railroad transportation, the preparation of reports, and the salaries of 

 the men during the three winter months, when the field work has prac- 

 tically to be suspended, has been 82.81 per square mile, as against $3.26 

 per square mile last year, a saving of -15 cents per square mile. This 

 saving is due not onh' to the greater efliciency of the field parties by 

 reason of their better training, but also to the longer average length of 

 the field season for each part}-, which has been accomplished by mov- 

 ing the parties from place to place as the season advances. It has been 

 found possible to keep some of the parties out during the winter in 

 Arizona and southern California, and to shift parties working in the 

 Northern States during the summer months to the Southern States 

 during the fall. In this way the average length of the field season 

 has been something over nine months per party, and it is believed 

 that this can be considerabl}" increased, although it is advisable to 

 have each party spend some time at headquarters, not only for 

 the final revision of their reports and maps, but to get acquainted 

 with the office and laboratory work and to keep in close touch with 

 the objects and purpose of the soil survey. 



THE FIELD FORGE. 



The organization of the field force has been carried to a very high 

 state of efficiency". Administrativeh' the very greatest of care and 

 attention to details is given, and the low cost per square mile shown 

 in the preceding statements is due in a large measure to the judicious 

 and economical management of the force. The salaries of the soil 

 experts emplo^'ed b}- the Bureau are low as compared with those paid 

 in other branches of scientific work. The average expense of a part\^ 

 of two men in the field for subsistence and the hire of a team averages 

 about $120 per month, or $1,080 for the field season of nine months. 

 The parties are equipped with the most modern instruments for the 

 classification and survey" of soils, and it has been possible to furnish 

 them with such explicit instructions as to the character of their work, 

 the subjects they are to investigate, and the subjects which are to 

 be discussed in their report upon the area that they know exactly 



